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Science in Service
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Medicine
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President's letter
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Cycle of Translation
From Discovery to Clinic
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Translational Luminaries
Medical innovation begins and ends with the needs of our patients. Clinicians partner with scientists to solve the most pressing challenges in medicine, often creating multidisciplinary and sometimes multi-institutional collaborations to solve complex medical challenges that ultimately serve patients. With seamless integration of research and clinical care as well as local, national and international collaborations that expand the reach of our institution, Houston Methodist faculty are leading medicine.
01
2023 Faculty
Houston Methodist is committed to attracting highly talented leaders, scientists, innovators and teachers. We are pleased to introduce those who have joined our organization in 2022.
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Kristopher Brannan, PhD joined Houston Methodist’s Center for RNA Therapeutics as Assistant Professor in June 2022. His research focuses on finding new therapeutic targets for cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative pathologies caused by aberrant RNA processing, localization and translation. His work will integrate innovative experimental and computational approaches to develop new RNA therapeutics. Recognized by the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) through their Scholars program, Brannan has also received early career funding through the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
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Yong Lu, PhD joined Houston Methodist Academic Institute in November 2021. He is an awardee of the 2021 Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) Rising Stars program that recruits early-stage investigators who have demonstrated the promise for continued and enhanced contributions to the field of cancer research. Dr. Lu’s work focuses on translational T cell-based adoptive cell immunotherapy, targeting lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and other cancers. In addition to the CPRIT Rising Star award, Dr. Lu was the winner of New Drug Development Global Campaign in 2019 held by Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.
03
Funding Spotlight
Houston Methodist is proud to recognize our highly talented scientists who have been awarded extramural funding this year.
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Cesar Arias, MD, PhD
Project Title
Dynamics of Colonization and Infection by Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens in Immunocompromised and Critically Ill Patients (DYNAMITE)
Total funding amount
$11,000,000
Funding agency / mechanism
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases – NIH P01 Research Program Project Grant
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Kristopher Brannan, PhD
Project Title
Exploring Functional Complexes and Disease Networks Within Human RNA-binding Protein Interactomes
Total funding amount
$782,136
Funding agency / mechanism
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke – NIH K22 Career Transition Award
Gavin Britz, MD
Angelique Regnier-Golanov, PhD
Project Title
Methods and Devices to Assist and Improve Cerebrospinal Fluid Drainage
Total funding amount
$444,125
Funding agency / mechanism
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke – NIH R21 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant
LaShara Davis, PhD
Project Title
Connecting the Dots: Using Digital Storytelling to Educate the African American Community About the Link Between Diabetes, Hypertension and Kidney Disease
Total funding amount
$75,000
Funding agency / mechanism
National Kidney Foundation – Kidney Health Equity Community Engagement Award
Alessandro Grattoni, PhD
Project Title
Investigation of Novel Local Immunomodulating Strategies to Enhance Islet Transplantation for T1D
Total funding amount
$710,235
Funding agency / mechanism
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation – Strategic Research Agreement
Alessandro Grattoni, PhD
Joan Nichols, PhD
Project Title
Vascularized NICHE with Local Immunosuppression for Cell Replacement for Type 1 Diabetes
Total funding amount
$3,928,961
Funding agency / mechanism
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases – NIH R01 Research Project Grant
Alessandro Grattoni, PhD
Project Title
Vascularized Islet Transplantation NICHE with Local Immunosuppression for the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes
Total funding amount
$4,038,822
Funding agency / mechanism
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases – NIH R01 Research Project Grant
Hina Faisal, MD
Project Title
Virtual Reality-Based Cognitive Intervention for The Prevention of Delirium & Cognitive Impairment in Geriatric Surgical Patients
Total funding amount
$323,000
Funding agency / mechanism
National Institute on Aging – NIH R03 Small Grant
Shannan Hamlin, PhD, MD
Project Title
The Future of Robot-Assisted Nursing: Interactive AI Frameworks for Upskilling Nurses and Customizing Robot Assistance
Total funding amount
$28,238
Philip Horner, PhD
Matthew Hogan, PhD
Project Title
Neuromodulation for Enhanced Functional Integration of Alginate Encapsulated Pre-Organized and Networked Neural Stem Cell Ribbon Grafts
Total funding amount
$228,034
Funding agency / mechanism
Wings for Life
Philip Horner, PhD
Project Title
Training in Neural Control of Organ Degeneration and Regeneration (NeuralCODR)
Total funding amount
$1,658,033
Funding agency / mechanism
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke – NIH T32 Ruth L. Kirschstein Institutional Research Service Award
Robert Krencik, PhD
Project Title
AstroCapsules: A Novel Tool to Detect and Modulate the Neurotrauma Microenvironment
Total funding amount
$100,000
Funding agency / mechanism
Institute for Rehabilitation and Research Foundation
Yong Lu, PhD
Project Title
Intrapleural Immunotherapeutic Nanoparticles for MPE Treatment
Total funding amount
$1,912,610
Funding agency / mechanism
National Cancer Institute – NIH R01 Research Project Grant
Bulent Ozpolat, MD, PhD
Project Title
Novel Targeted Therapeutics for Breast Cancer
Total funding amount
$1,124,037
Funding agency / mechanism
National Cancer Institute – NIH R01 Research Project Grant
Kai Sun, MD
Project Title
Targeting Nitric Oxide Synthase Pathway in Obesity-Associated Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Total funding amount
$50,000
Funding agency / mechanism
American Society of Clinical Oncology – Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award
Rajarajan Amirthalingam Thandavarayan, PhD
Project Title
Role of CstF64 Mediated Alternative Polyadenylation in Heart Failure
Total funding amount
$295,817
Funding agency / mechanism
American Heart Association – Transformational Project Award
Amy Waterman, PhD
Project Title
Multilevel Intervention Strategies to Transform Kidney Care and Improve Pursuit of Transplant in an Integrated Healthcare Delivery System
Total funding amount
$1,997,193
Funding agency / mechanism
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality – NIH R01 Research Project Grant
04
Faculty and Research Development
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Houston Methodist bolsters academic productivity throughout researchers’ careers with a full complement of individually tailored resources that include one-on-one professional development guidance, cohorted courses and customized workshops.
The experienced development team provides services essential to developing strategic academic priorities and securing external funding, including matching experts with appropriate funding opportunities and providing planning and writing support for grant proposals, manuscripts, outcomes/bug data protocols and other academic publications.
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Salim Allana, MD
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Dorothy E. Lewis, PhD
In 2022, the department offered 16 workshops and lectures covering various topics and four series were offered, including Career Development, Skills Development/Communication, Grant Writing, and Mentoring and Leadership. The “Concept to Commercialization” seminar lays the foundation for translating key laboratory discoveries to clinical uses that improve patients’ lives. It provides a practical and efficient process for researchers to bring their innovations to the market.
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104
Grants were submitted through Academic Affairs
48 through Faculty Development and 56 through Institutional Development 7 successful grants – $9.0M and 66 pending outcomes
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370
Mentorship hours
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